probe question

[fongu]

I went to home depot and was trying to figure out how to build a probe and the guy I talked to suggested using aluminum instead of steel round bar, due to its lighter weight. I want to find someone with a tap and die set and put threads on the 36 inch long piece of metal and use some conduit for the handle and tap some threads into it to receive the 36 inch part. thought i would use a piece of conduit about 12 inches long for the handle. it's 1/4 inch diameter bar and I was concerned that the threads would not hold up in the aluminum piece that i intend to probe with. any advice?

 

[joe dirt_1]

fongu, i don't think aluminum will hold up as a probe. suggest you get some round spring steel stock for the probe and some solid round stock for the handle. you can probably purchase a probe cheaper than you can build one.

 

[fongu]

I know the tap and die set was almost $50.00, but where can I find a probe? I want one at least 3 or 4 foot long.

 

[Alan Applegate]

Find your local Snap-on tool man. They sell a phillips screwdriver that's about 3 feet long.

Alan Applegate

 

[sopg1155]

Fongu,
I do like Alan said and get a long shanked screwdriver and use them.They are made of
hardened steel and have a handle that you can get a good grip on and they will slide
right into your digger sheath.They also hold up very well and last a long time.
Gary

 

[garrettguy]

I made a probe out of a steel rod (1/8" or a little less) about 2 feet long and drilled a hole into a 6 in long piece of 1" diameter wooden dowel. Just hammer/jam the rod into the "handle" and you've got a probe. It cost me less than $5 to make, but you've got to keep it out of the rain or it gets rusty!

Peter

 

[Uncle Willy]

Yeah I use a 24 incher. Beats making one.

Bill

 

[NM5K]

Dang, you all use some long poppers.. I think mine is about 8-10 inches or so..
I do agree through.. Screwdrivers make good strong probes. And the handle is
already there. Also, fairly easy to polish down for a smooth round tip so to avoid
gouging stuff.
I have a long probe for actual probing, but it's a one piece Ford car antenna...
I use my screwdriver more as a dirt popper.. I also still have two of the pushrod
poppers, but I just keep those as backups.
I made this one over three years ago, and it's still going strong.. It's never even
begun to bend.. I polished the tip down on that one using a grinder, etc.

 

[TURNMASTER]

What is the 3' probe for, privies? Yellow pages for springs a socal spring shop should have 1/4 to 3/8 dia. stock. An alum handle should be fine. Local machine shop should thread it for cheap. OR find ya a buddy who is a backyard mechanic or local handy man who has the tap and die set. That spring steel can be hard on thread tools so use care and plenty of cutting lube.

Jeff

 

[Uncle Willy]

Yeah I've got two 24 inch Phillips that I've used for years. Bought them on sale at a Rexall Drugstore for a buck apiece.

Bill

 

[joe dirt_1]

fongue, check out some of the bottle digging sites. they sometimes sell probes of different lengths for probing for bottles in old dump sites. one site i can think of is www.cowboyblacksmith.com that sells a 36" spring steel probe with a tip on it for 34.95 plus shipping. .........roger

 

[rglyons]

I went to tractor supply and bought a piece of 1/8 brass three foot long. I then went to Ace hardware and got three file handles, cut the brass into three one foot pieces, put some super glue into the hole and tapped the one foot pieces about two inches into the handles. Then rounded off the ends in my grinder. You could leave the brass whole and have a three foot probe, or cut it into a one foot and two foot piece and have a one and two foot probe.

The three I made has lasted at least fifteen years with no problems. (Brass won't nick coins as bad as steel. Just remember to round off the ends)

Ended up costing about four or five dollars apiece for all three. Can't buy them already made for that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!